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Gap between action and words, says India in piercing counter to Justin Trudeau
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that the ongoing crisis was “precipitated by the Trudeau government’s baseless allegations”
NEW DELHI: Doubling down on its assertion that Canada hasn’t shared any evidence to back up allegations of Indian officials being linked to the killing of pro-Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, India on Thursday said the Justin Trudeau government’s actions belied his remarks about following a “One India” policy.
The current crisis in India-Canada relations was precipitated solely by the Trudeau government’s “baseless allegations” against Indian officials, and the Canadian side is yet to act on India’s requests to extradite 26 people and arrest several others accused of terrorism and serious crimes, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a regular media briefing.
India-Canada ties have been in freefall after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged in September last year that there was a link between Indian government agents and the murder of Nijjar, hit a new low this week after New Delhi dismissed as “preposterous” a move by Ottawa to question six Indian diplomats, including high commissioner Sanjay Verma, in connection with the killing.
The Indian side withdrew the six diplomats and expelled an equal number of Canadian diplomats from New Delhi, including acting high commissioner Stewart Wheeler. Both sides have hinted at further retaliatory moves, with Canadian foreign minister Mélanie Joly saying all options were on the table.
“We are very clear that since September 2023, the Canadian government has not shared any shred of evidence with us,” Jaiswal said while responding to a flurry of questions on the row with Canada. He said Canada hasn’t given any evidence so far to support the “serious allegations” it has levelled.
Referring to Trudeau’s testimony at a public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada’s politics on Wednesday, Jaiswal said there is a “gap between action and words”.
He added, “We have seen the comments of Prime Minister Trudeau that he believes in a One India policy, but so far the actions we have requested against anti-India elements, who actually go against One India, who call for dismemberment and disunity of the country, who espouse separatist ideology – no action has been taken.”
Trudeau said in his testimony that Canada’s official position is “One India”, though there are “people in Canada who advocate otherwise”. He also contended that India made a “horrific mistake” by thinking it could interfere as aggressively as it allegedly did in Canada’s sovereignty.
The external affairs ministry issued a terse two-line statement that said Trudeau’s deposition confirmed New Delhi’s stand that Canada has provided no evidence to support its allegations. “The responsibility for the damage that this cavalier behaviour has caused to India-Canada relations lies with Prime Minister Trudeau alone,” it said.
Jaiswal reiterated this position, saying the ongoing crisis was “precipitated by the Trudeau government’s baseless allegations”. He characterised India-Canada relations, especially trade and economic ties, as robust and vibrant.
A lot of Canadian pension funds have invested in India, the large Indian diaspora of about 1.8 million acts as a bridge for people-to-people ties, and Indians make up the largest group of international students in Canada. “Canada is a major beneficiary of all these strong linkages that we have,” he noted.
